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How to: Extract a DAC From a Database

Use either the Extract a Data-tier Application Wizard or a Windows PowerShell script to extract a data-tier application (DAC) package from an existing SQL Server database. The extraction process creates a DAC package file that contains definitions of the database objects and their related instance-level elements. For example, a DAC package file contains the database tables, stored procedures, views, and users, along with the logins that map to the database users.

You can extract a DAC from databases residing on instances of SQL Azure, or SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later.

The Extract a Data-tier Application Wizard does not register the DAC definition in the current instance of the Database Engine. For more information about registering a DAC, see How to: Register a Database As a DAC.

Extract a DAC Using PowerShell

Building and Running a Script

  1. Create a file ExtractDAC.ps1.

  2. Add code to create a SMO Server object and set it to the instance containing the database from which you want to extract a DAC. This example sets a Server object to the default instance on the local computer:

    ## Set a SMO Server object to the default instance on the local computer.
CD SQLSERVER:\SQL\localhost\DEFAULT
$srv = get-item .

  3. Add code to specify the database. This example specifies a database named MyDB:

    ## Specify the database to extract to a DAC.
$dbname = "MyDB"

  4. Specify the metadata for the DAC. This example specifies the DAC name, version, and description:

    ## Specify the DAC metadata.
$applicationname = "MyApplication"
$version = "1.0.0.0"
$description = "This DAC defines the database used by my application."

  5. Specify the path and file name for the extracted DAC package file.

    ## Specify the location and name for the extracted DAC package.
$dacpacPath = "C:\MyDACs\MyApplication.dacpac"

  6. Add code to run the Extract method with the information specified above.

    ## Extract the DAC.
$extractionunit = New-Object Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Dac.DacExtractionUnit($srv, $dbname, $applicationname, $version)
$extractionunit.Description = $description
$extractionunit.Extract($dacpacPath)

  7. Run ExtractDAC.ps1 from either a PowerShell session in which you have loaded the SQL Server PowerShell snapins, or by using the sqlps command prompt utility.

Extract Data-tier Application Wizard

To open the Extract a Data-tier Application Wizard

  1. In Object Explorer, expand Databases, right-click a database, point to Tasks, and then click Extract Data-tier Application.

  2. Follow the steps in the wizard to create a DAC package based on the database you select. For more information, see Extract Data-tier Application Wizard F1 Help.

Change History

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Added section on using PowerShell.